Why did I choose CHOC?

I shared some of why I wanted to do a 5K for CHOC (Children's Hospital of Orange County) in my last post, but it occurred to me that my choice may seem strange to some people. I don't have my own children. I didn't grow up needing care in a hospital. So why a children's hospital?

Over the past few years I have found my heart drawn to children who have cancer. I have followed multiple cancer kids' blogs. Unfortunately, two of them have since passed away after bravely fighting. However, it then hit home when a woman I worked with on a fundraiser for Heifer International found out that her niece had leukemia. :( Thankfully, Tillie is now finished with treatment--and we all hope has beat cancer for good!! This was followed by my cousin's niece being diagnosed also with leukemia. She is still in treatment, but has hit many mile markers. Go Josie! :) Their journeys have been filled with many ups and downs. Their parents have grieved and rejoiced. The families need support. Their stays in the hospital have often been long. I want to walk with Nina, Daisy, Tillie, Josie, and all of the other kids whose stories have touched my life. Their stories are in my heart as I begin this journey <3 I pray for their families often.

In addition to these kids who have changed my perspective on life while rocking my world and touching my heart many times, I have faced many health problems over the course of my life. Granted, most of them have not landed me in the hospital. All the same, I know what it is like to have to go through life not feeling well. Migraines, tendonitis, appendicitis, bronchitis, and other challenges have taught me many things. In a small way, I resonate with these children. No, I have never faced cancer or long stays in the hospital, but I hear their stories as one who knows what it means to not feel well.

My recent stay in the hospital only confirmed all of this. I've read about the long waits in a hospital room...and then I experienced it. I heard about the delaying of surgery...and then I knew it first hand. People had mentioned the restless nights in a hospital...and then I knew the truth, you cannot get a good night's sleep in a hospital! These are some brave kids with families I greatly respect.

In honor of these kids--and the kids like them--I want to raise money for a hospital that provides life-saving care! I want them to have the money to continue saving lives in an environment that tries to make the best of a very difficult situation.

Thank you for reading. <3

Donate link: http://choc.convio.net/site/TR/Events/General?px=1054199&pg=personal&fr_id=1040

CHOC Walk

A new part of my journey has begun... I knew that graduating college would obviously be ending a phase and beginning a new one, but God has brought me on so many journeys this summer that I did not expect. I completed an internship for my speech therapy assistant (SLPA) certification. All of the paperwork is being processed by the state now. That was something beyond my wildest dreams! For the first time, I joined a Bible study through church. I traveled to Arizona for the first time in my life. Then I stayed in the hospital and experienced surgery for the first time. All of these firsts that I didn't expect. Through this summer I've also begun to develop and deepen friendships that I didn't expect. At times it has been hard, but I would not trade this summer for anything.

God, yet again, caught me by surprise a couple days ago by laying on my heart to begin something I didn't expect to happen NOW. I will share more about the entirety of where He is leading me in the future, as more pieces come together. However, I do want to share the first part of what He laid on my heart!

In October, I will be doing CHOC Walk in the Park which is a fundraising 5K for the local children's hospital!

I am SO EXCITED!!! My dream is to one day be able to run a 5K. That has been stopped due to health limitations--but now I know that doesn't mean I can't WALK a 5K. :) I stumbled across the flier while getting a late night dinner at Chick-fil-a. I thought what I usually think, "That would be cool to do some year...maybe next year..." But I couldn't get it off my mind. The thought "Why not this year?" kept haunting me. So, as soon as I got home, I signed up! ;) (And then dragged my roommate and dad into the deal...!) This lines up with the heart God has given me for children with cancer and children with disabilities.

There's a part to this that involves YOU! The minimum donation to walk is $50 which I plan to personally donate. However, I would love to give more. SO if you would like to help me out, you can :)

My personal fundraising page is:

http://choc.convio.net/site/TR/Events/General?px=1054199&pg=personal&fr_id=1040

Currently the goal is set at $200, but that is by no means the highest it can go. I am leaving the amount that comes in up to God. :)

Thank you for sharing in this step of my obedience--and the beginning of a new journey!

The Reason

Why am I beginning this blog? Because I want a place to share God's work in a more public area. For the past few years I have had a blog that I kept mostly private. It was a place for me to process and write. I needed a place to write for the sake of writing without thinking about other people reading it. After sharing about the blessings that came from my appendectomy, I realized that my writing could be used to encourage people on a larger scale--and a way to share what God was doing. So...I started this blog! Plus I have been so encouraged and challenged by following other people's blogs, so I want to give back. My other blog will remain as a private blog, but I hope to be updating both blogs from now on. :) I will update as God leads...which will likely come in clumps with times of silence...

Why did I call it "Graciously Waiting"?? Recently I have come to realize that life is a lot about waiting. There are the day-to-day times of waiting. Waiting to register my car. Waiting in the ER. Waiting for surgery. Waiting in line. Waiting in traffic. Waiting for food to cook. Waiting to hear back from an interview. Etc. Then there are the larger scale "Waitings" (yes, I just created a word!): Waiting to be fully recovered. Waiting to date. Waiting to be married. Waiting to be a mom. Waiting to start grad school. Waiting for a job. Etc. These are examples of things I am waiting for in my life, but I am sure each of you, no matter what stage you are in, can substitute your own list!
Life continues as we wait. Time doesn't stop. And in the area of the "Waitings," God continues to have things for us to do, no matter where we are! (Maybe it is "waiting for the kids to grow up" or "waiting for the kids to visit"). Let's be honest: waiting is not fun. It tends to drive us crazy. We begin to think "If only this phase of waiting would end, then..." God has been convicting me of this thought process continually. These "Waitings" cannot define our lives. While I am single, I can choose to enjoy this phase--and embrace what God brings for me to do! While I wait for a job, I can still fill my days with things that are fulfilling. While I wait to begin my career, God has things for me to keep me busy in the meantime. To sum it up, these times of waiting are not wasted time, but rather a time God can use. Intellectually I have known this for the big things. During my time in the hospital a couple weeks ago, God brought clarity to a challenge He had been hinting at for years: Will I be a "Demanding Waiter" or  a "Gracious Waiter." I've seen clear examples of both. As a Christian, which displays better displays Christ in my daily life: demanding I be the next patient seen since I had waited hours or showing grace to the nurses? Getting angry at the cashier because I had to wait or smiling and interacting with the cashier? These are just a few examples that I have come across. I've seen examples of both. Do you see a key word in the first examples?? "I"! When did life become a long string of entitlements to me?!?! Each person we interact with is a chance to show God's grace to, even if we have to wait longer than we would like. Through this season of waiting in my life, God has laid out a clear challenge to me: to live my life Graciously Waiting.
Again, these examples are strongly tied to my stage of life as these are what I am acquainted with, but I pray that the lessons can extend into your stage of life...and challenge you to change your view of waiting!
And so, my title "Graciously Waiting" is the current stage of life I find myself in!

Stay tuned for updates on things God is doing in my life!